Affogato & Coffee Close Ups

As I was watching an episode of the Netflix show “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee”, I was inspired by the tantalizing coffee close ups. Jerry Seinfeld will be having a nice conversation with a fellow comedian and they will pan out to a close up of an espresso shot being poured, it is coffee porn!  Each close up makes me instantly crave an affogato. If you have never had an affogato before or don’t know what one is, let me drop some knowledge on you! It is simply ice cream; my preference is vanilla, with a fresh shot of espresso poured over it. 

The word affogato is Italian for “pour over” and it is fitting that my first affogato experience was at an Italian restaurant. I was out to dinner with my teammates, back when I was in wine sales, and one of the regional sales managers that represented a portion of Italian wine ordered us each an affogato. The wine was great that night, but the affogato was what really stuck with me. There are certain meals, dishes, or drinks that will stick with you and you will find your mind wandering back to them over and over. The affogato is one of them for me. It is the perfect balance of hot and cold, sweet and bitter.

My recent affogato experience was in the Downtown Claremont Village at a place that is set up perfectly for espresso and ice cream harmony- Augie’s Coffee and a la minute ice cream. The two shops share a location and are only separated by a waist high counter top. Augie’s coffee is a coffee house that specializes in small batch, honestly sourced coffee that they roast themselves. While a la minute is liquid nitrogen style ice cream made from the freshest ingredients in KitchenAid mixers. The two stores together are just asking you to order an affogato, making it so easy to enjoy ice cream and espresso together. The photo above is the affogato I ordered!

Again the experience continues to stay with me just as the first time I tried an affogato. If you have not tried an affogato or had no idea what one was before reading this, then my recommendation is to find the nearest place to you that has ice cream and espresso and get your hands on one. I would not be waxing poetically about it if it wasn’t worth the trip. Plus we all need more excuses to eat more ice cream, so hurry out and get one. You won’t regret!

Welcome Back Post- Wine Pairing Basics

Posts from my Spicey not Pricey blog have been coming up on my Facebook memories from 2012.  A lot of things have changed in 6 years but I have been inspired by a few friends to give this another shot. I pulled up the blog and glanced over a few posts. I don’t find much inspiring about a paragraph about a Trader Joe’s wrap that I ate for lunch, although delicious the only joy someone can get from that would be reading it aloud in a Hulk Hogan voice- try it!

A recent trip to the Central Coast inspired me to write about wine pairing for the re-launch post. The picture above is a lovely Chicken under a brick entrée from Ember Restaurant in Arroyo Grande paired with Chamisal Estate Pinot Noir. It was delicious! By no means is this a “perfect” pairing because I firmly believe pairing beverages with food is taste is up to the eater. There are basic rules to wine pairing: acidity in food goes with acidity in wine, a little bit of heat can use a little bit of sweet, fatty red meats go with wines with tannins, sweetness of the wine must be sweeter than the dessert and what grows together goes together. What grows together goes together is always good rule of thumb- the cuisines from around the world usually have a wine from that region that go with them. But really if you like the wine and you like the food and you like them together then it is a good pairing regardless if it follows the rules of wine pairing. A lovely marbled rib eye will taste great with a top notch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon because the intensity of each match well with each other. That same Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon would also taste great with a Double-Double from In-N-Out. That same In-N-Out burger would taste great with a Modelo Lager because In-N-Out is a great burger and can go well with any beverage.

In addition to matching foods and beverages that you love together, a big part of wine pairing is the atmosphere you are enjoying the wine and food. This also makes recreating a wonderful tasting experience difficult. The pairing pictured above was enjoyed at a quaint neighborhood restaurant with my girlfriend. This same wine and food combination would not be nearly as enjoyable in a cramped loud restaurant with questionable company. Needless to say there are so many factors that can make a great wine pairing. Some basic rules can help guide you into making the right decision but ultimately if you have a smokin’ hot date on Valentine’s Day with a good wine and a delicious entrée, there is no way it is not gong to be an enjoyable culinary experience.

At the end of the day the most important thing about wine knowledge is knowing what you like and how to order it or buy it. A classic pairing is not going to be enjoyable if it is not something you enjoy. So drink great wine, eat tasty food and you will stumble into remarkable wine pairing experiences. A great pairing is up to the taster.

Friends with Benefits

Not the type of friends with benefits you are thinking, I am talking about having a circle people that seem to know everyone and everything. So often people I hear people say its all about who you know, I am now finding that to be true- especially in the hospitality industry that I have chosen to make my career in. Just this past year I have been more involved in my college and I have found all the connections I can make just by being in the right places and talking to the right people. I have landed myself an internship, one of the most enriching and flexible jobs I have ever had, tons of free gifts and much more just for being in the right place. The great thing about being around people that know people is they notice my strengths and the word gets around, next thing I know my skills become in demand. It is great to be in the know and know people and I feel like I am just getting started. Not to toot my own horn but I people have been telling me how successful they think I am going to be. It is great to hear that from people who I have a lot of respect for. It also helps to have friends that have great stuff that they want to share with others.

Welcome Back!

Ever since I stopped posting on my blog last February on daily basis I have been telling myself I would eventually get back into it. Well through the push of a couple people and a couple subjects to talk or complain I have finally made a new post. My culinary adventures have increased since the last time I was on here giving many opportunities for subject matter that could be considered "blog-worthy". I have went from taking my first real cooking class and still just serving tables in a restaurant to taking a couple advanced cooking classes and finally getting a chance to work in a real kitchen. With those opportunities have come many opportunities and challenges to go with them. I have found that I am not the all knowing culinary master that I once thought I was. It has been a very humbling experience getting a job as prep cook in a major chain restaurant. In addition to that experience in my cooking classes I have finally found things that are challenging to my knowledge and my capabilities, that isn't just burgers and steak that I cook at home. I think my idea of having a daily blog of the things I eat was way too ambitious and very unnecessary, let's be honest I don't eat enough cool food to do so anyway. So this post is the beginning of a different blog that is way for me to share the things I find, the things I eat and drink and things that I find interesting or challenging along way so I hope you find it interesting.

2/20/12- Pot Roast, Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus

I often take home cooked meals for granted because I live so close to home and can have them pretty much whenever. This meal was one of my parents regular dishes they make because it is so easy- throw a roast in the crockpot in the morning and let that bad boy cook all day. Pot roast has a nostalgia for me because my mom has been making it since I have been eating full meals. It is such a perfect family meal because once it is in the crockpot all the work is done accept for the sides. I must say it is nice to go home have a meal waiting for on the dinner, especially because I am usually the one who does the cooking at home because of my newly acquired skills and knowledge. Eat at home as much as you can because nothing is better than a home cooked meal.

2/19/12- The Spot Turkey Club Sandwich Combo

This sandwich and chip duo is from The Spot, the local sandwich and smoothie place a couple doors down from my work. The Spot was originally a Robek's but the owner saw a market for sandwiches and wanted to expand. The Robek's franchise wouldn't let him sell sandwiches so he broke away  and started his own place. They have a menu with about 7 different paninis, coffee, smoothies and fresh juices. The sandwich wasn't anything amazing but it was a decent sandwich, nothing I couldn't make at home. I like to support places like this because I know the owner cares about his business and wants to succeed. I would definitely return because it is in a convenient location and I would like to see what else they offer.

2/18/12- Bruxie's Belgain Waffle Burger and Irish Nachos

Those two pictures are the proof one of the best meals I have had in a while, all credit to Bruxie's gourmet belgian waffle sandwiches. I love innovative crazy combinations like this that turn out to be so delicious you wonder why no one thought of it sooner. Their menu consists of all kinds of crazy combinations sweet and savory ranging from mushrooms & goat cheese to s'mores. The best part was definitely the Irish nachos which is criss cut fries as the apparatus for all the awesomeness in the picture above. I don't think I have ever had something so delicious that was served in a plastic basket, the cheese sauce was so creamy. This idea is just pure genius and if it wasn't so far (Brea and Orange) I would be going there on a weekly basis to try all the different things on their menu. It was located in a shopping center with a lot of other trendy modern places as well, I think I have found a new restaurant jackpot. If you haven't been here do yourself a favor and GO NOW!